


Hello, Colin

by bunnysworld



Category: Merlin (TV) RPF
Genre: M/M, Research, Sexual Experimentation, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-05
Updated: 2016-10-05
Packaged: 2018-08-19 18:10:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8220239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnysworld/pseuds/bunnysworld
Summary: Colin lands a role as a gay lover and asks Rupert for help. Rupert knows just what to do.





	

**Author's Note:**

> As this is RPF, it only ever happened in my mind. I just wondered how Colin, who's known for doing a lot of research, would prepare for the role of Oscar Wilde's lover in The Happy Prince. So, it's not real,. Just written for fun.

“Congrats, that’s great news.“ Rupert lifted his glass and nodded. 

Colin grinned. “Likewise.”

They both took sip. 

“So, how is life on the road, touring with a play? Maybe I should do that, too. Just for the experience of it.” 

Rupert shrugged. “It’s not glamorous at all. You live out of a suitcase, one week here, one week there. And as soon as you got used to a venue, you leave again.”

“Not much different from filming in different locations.” Colin nodded. 

“Come on, tell me about the movie. You said you’ll be wearing a wig? You better send me photos!”

Colin grinned. “There was not enough time to grow my hair back to the right length and it’s not the right colour anyway.” 

“But that’s not what you needed my help with, right? You’re the wizard, I am just the lowly knight, I can’t make hair grow faster.” Rupert looked at him curiously.

Taking a deep breath, Colin threw Rupert a look. “You know…since it’s all over the place already, I’ll play Oscar Wilde’s lover in this movie.” A slight blush showed on his cheeks.

“Good for you! I’m sure you know a lot more about him than me, I know you do your research very thoroughly.” Rupert sipped on his wine.

“Well, the issue is…there is only so much research you can do. Nothing beats the real thing.”

Rupert blinked. “I don’t think I understand.”

Turning his glass in his hands, Colin shrugged. “You can read all about gay sex, but as long as you haven’t done it, you don’t really know what it feels like.”

“You’re an actor, Colin. You didn’t have to kill someone to portrait a gangster and you didn’t go crazy to be…what was his name?”

“Nathan Appleby.”

“You didn’t let them replace stuff inside you with wires to play the robot…”

“Synth.”

“Yes, that and you didn’t let anyone shoot you to play the injured policeman.”

“I know,” Colin sighed, “but I feel I won’t do the character justice if I just imagined what it would feel like.”

“Just draw on your own experiences.”

Colin laughed bitterly. “I don’t have any gay experiences and everything else has been so long ago that I hardly remember how it’s done.”

“You don’t? But…”

Frowning, Colin crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I know everybody thinks that Bradley and I didn’t do anything else but fuck, but…newsflash, we never got that far.”

“Oh.”

“Yes. Oh.”

“So, you two have never…?” Rupert lit another cigarette. 

Fanning the smoke away that drifted over to him, Colin first glared, then sighed. “No.”

They sat in silence for a moment and Rupert took a deep drag from his cigarette. “So, just for me to understand this correctly…where do I come in?”

Leaning back in his chair, Colin put his head into his neck and looked up at the starry sky. “I thought…you…”

“Me? I’m sorry, Colin, I can talk about it, answer your questions, but I will not do anything with you. I’m not your little gay experiment and I don’t want to ruin our friendship.”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…you don’t happen to know someone?”

Rupert looked at Colin for a while. Then he nodded. “Let me think about it.”

+++

Colin paced his place nervously. A few days after their conversation on the roof top of Rupert’s house, Rupert had called him and hinted that he didn’t think Colin should just have sex with someone he just met. After some arguing, Colin had agreed on Rupert coming over and answering all his questions, as awkward as they may be. A couple of minutes ago, he had called again and announced that he was bringing a friend.

That was good. Fine. Very good. And yet, Colin was a lot more nervous now. He looked outside the window only to go back to the fridge to check if he had enough drinks and then went to the window again. 

Somehow he must have missed Rupert’s arrival anyway and he jumped when the doorbell rang. 

Taking a deep breath, Colin opened the door. “Hi, Rupe.”

“Hey, Colin.” Rupert held a bottle of wine towards him. 

Very relieved, Colin laughed. “Is this the friend you were talking about?” He still chuckled and didn’t realize that Rupert was not laughing with him. 

Shaking his head, Rupert smiled and then stepped aside. “No, this is.”

When Colin looked up from the wine bottle, he saw a familiar figure standing next to Rupert. A bit older than when they last met, a bit more tanned, thinner and more defined, but definitely familiar. The blue eyes looked uncertain, searching his face and the insecure smile was the one that Colin had loved all those years ago. 

“Hello, Colin.”


End file.
